Not too Different...

Leadership, Discipleship and just plain having a large family is not just unique to Haiti but lately has shown me would be really similar if we were in the U.S. with our bunch...
  
Okay, honestly I've been working on these two blogs from last week's very inspiring experiences.  I've been working on the perfect, eloquent ways to share the way God moves among us and in the House of Moses... And then, today happens and right now I am humming, "Mama said there'd by days like this; there'd be days like this Mama said" in my head!

     Last week was my first week home after the amazing experience of dropping our first HoM graduate off at college in the U.S.  I missed our family so much and came home to an incredible reunion week of not only seeing God's mighty hand at work but also getting some sweet time with our board president and friend.

     The start of this week has held a different scene.  You see, every day in Haiti holds new adventures and experiences.  Today reminded me that we not only have 13 children but 10 of which are in high school and these hold new "opportunities for growth."  First, Home school was L--O--N--G today.  Focus for one of my kindergartner's was a challenge and it's getting hotter by the day here so it's easy to feel tired.  Then, a police car shows up at our house, which is not an uncommon occurrence since our brotherhood birthed from jail ministry.  I went down to say hello to the officer only to realize that it was not a social call but it was one due to our son causing a moto accident.  Well, mom freaked out, and as we waited for our son to get home John calmly reminded me that this is what having grown boys includes.  I thought about this through dinner and by the time family night devotions started God had spoken not only peace but joy into my heart.

     You see, the biggest issue I had with the accident was not the poor decisions because an accident is just that...AN ACCIDENT and I was just thankful that everyone was okay.  BUT, he did not stop to check on the other driver he swiped by AND the irony was that they were just coming home from taking medicine and praying with a sweet employee and a sister of one of our students who was in a moto accident yesterday without the man who caused it having any regard or care to her well being.  So as after John had spoke with him, I also expressed my disappointment in his choices and how long it would take to pay us back for the man's hospital bill and broken moto. I was probably also disappointed that the $20 it cost to settle the issue was what John and I were going on a date with Saturday (Hee hee!)
    Then, as we sang precious creole songs and I looked at our full living room of full bellies, Ava's fresh beautiful braids from one of her big sister's and truly beautiful family, I was humbled.  Then, God made us all laugh because our Haitian director and Bible College student that John disciples shared during family devotionals that he needed to confess before his family (us) that he accidentally drove by a man coming home from seminary and made him fall down and he was soooo convicted that he did not stop to see if he was okay!  I cracked up! Maybe our boy wasn't the big heathen I made him out to be after all... We all prayed for each man "hit" by an HoM member today and then prayed for our sister healing from her moto accident.  As devos closed I couldn't help but smile knowing I am learning how to be a mom of high school students and I'll take the foolishness and problems that come with them because the blessings far outweigh them.  Writing this line, one of our girls asks to make a copy of her church chorus songs, and another turns in her weekly English worksheet as Terah and John go to the porch for their nightly Bible time.  Life is Good.

     I have to giggle though because two weeks ago one of our boys got scammed by a digicel phone scheme.  That cost him and he learned a hard lesson and then today's incident both could have very well happened in the states.   High school students get their first tickets, first accidents, cost their parents because of foolish use of their cell phones, and you know what...I'm just glad that we have the family we do to learn, grow, and share these times in.  That's what family does and the peace and love here is consuming.

Overhearing from what is being told to me!

Okay...just a spill over of what God is talking to me about today.

Paul talks about in Philippians 4 that he learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed, or hungry, living with plenty or in want...

Do you want to be there?  Do I want to live in this kind of peace?

Contentment is defined by the ability of not "losing it" or being "still" internally, no matter what is going on in the external environment you live within.  We want that, right?  I mean who likes the roller coasters of the ups and downs based upon the peaks and valleys we experience.  

How do we do this?  How do we rest in this?

A great friend has reminded me often, that if you are follower of Jesus, you are already in that existence, just rest it in.  (THANKS TED)  Learn what it is to "let go" of control and rest in the PEACE that is given to us.

A little hint on how to continue to walk in it.  Paul sheds some light in Galatians 2:20

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."